From 'civilisational shift' to 'Human+AI' model: 7 things TCS chairman Chandrasekaran said about Gen AI

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) chairman N Chandrasekaran has called generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) a "civilisational shift," asserting that the technology will revolutionise industries and reshape the future of work.

In his address to shareholders through the company’s annual report published late Tuesday, Chandrasekaran, who also chairs Tata Sons, laid out the IT major's vision for AI as not just another tech cycle but a foundational force driving business transformation.

Here are seven key takeaways from his remarks:

Calling Gen AI more than a typical technology cycle, Chandrasekaran said it represents a fundamental shift comparable to historic advancements. “Achieving near-human reasoning capabilities, GenAI is not just another tech cycle, it is a civilisational shift,” he said.

TCS is building a "large pool" of AI agents designed to work alongside humans, delivering solutions through a collaborative "human+AI" model.

“We plan four distinct progressions. First, we establish a large pool of AI agents working alongside our human workforce. Second, we deliver solutions through a human+AI model,” he said.

To scale its AI capabilities, TCS will invest in dedicated AI data centres, cloud infrastructure, and collaborate with hardware providers, startups and solution innovators.

While the IT industry has seen a slowdown in hiring due to automation, TCS maintains that AI will not result in job losses, but the nature of jobs will undergo a shift. Chandrasekaran said TCS will have the largest AI-trained workforce in 2025.

Chandrasekaran said the company has also launched an enterprise-grade Gen AI platform christened 'TCS Wisdomnext'.

TCS has already deployed over 150 AI agents and helped clients in diverse fields, including a drug discovery project that generated over 1,300 molecules and shortlisted 12 for in vitro testing.

The company recently elevated Aarthi Subramanian to President and COO and appointed Mangesh Sathe as Chief Strategy Officer, moves driven by the company’s AI-led transformation.

TCS CEO K Krithivasan said clients are now seeking ROI-driven AI solutions over isolated use cases, with the company supporting them through AI labs, centres of excellence, and domain-specific applications.

The IT giant, which reported revenue of ₹2.55 lakh crore for FY25 with 6% annual growth and signed new deals worth USD 39.4 billion, sees Gen AI as central to its next phase of growth.